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Iron Legion (WTO)
The Iron Legion is one of the divisions of the Hierarchy of Stygia. They take in wraiths who lived to a ripe old age or were brought down by time. Methods of the Iron Legion Regular Jobs The Iron Legion is primarily involved with the fortification of Stygia and the Necropoli that fall under its influence. Citadels are usually the primary focus of these renovation and construction projects, but other defenses are not neglected. The Iron Legion also helps maintain the official Byways, and has even experimented with permanent artificial Byways, something that has yet to come to fruition. They are greatly respected by the other Legions for the effort and efficiency the Iron Legion put into their work. Of course, this is not the only area in which the Iron Legion is involved. They are also focused on eliminating or holding back Spectres with a frightening fervor. This is not limited to simply hunting down the denizens of Oblivion; the Iron Legion has its own research and development team constantly testing new weaponry, weaknesses, and theories. There are trained Iron Legions members called the Spectre Brigade who have the "honor" of being the guinea pigs for these experiments. The Iron Legion also specializes in information, as many of its members are seen as doddering old farts. While many other Legions know of the Iron Legion's hidden presence within the Shadowlands, many do not know to what extent the Ashen Lady has her fingers in everything. Legion Culture As many of the Iron Legion members have great experience from their lives, they tend to value accomplishment over other distinctions and tend to be one of Legions known to lack the political infighting that has become problematic in other Legions. While it is true that many of the Iron Legion are proud of their knowledge and wisdom, many still seek out Masquers to regain their youthful appearance, as even in the world of the dead, the elderly are still sadly seen as frail and useless. The Iron Legion also takes the unusual step of allowing members to search for missing friends and family in death. The Legion claims this allows their members to work fully focused once the fate of their loved ones is found out. All Legion members have one mark in common: gray bands that surround their arms and legs that represent their experiences in life. The more bands a Legion member has, the more struggles the wraith had to overcome to survive. They are seen as marks of valor and honor among many members of the Legion. Allies and Enemies The Iron Legion has had a running rivalry with the Grim Legion and the Skeletal Legion for many centuries now. These three Legions make up the majority of wraiths employed in the Hierarchy, and none wishes to lose their ground to the other two. The Iron Legion has been especially at odds with the latter for a time now, as the Skeletal Lord claims that those who were taken by disease, even in old age, belong to him. The Ashen Lady counters that those who fell to disease under those circumstances had their life force run out on them, and therefore fall under her jurisdiction. The other Legions tend to leave the Iron Legion alone, as they provide many valuable services to wraiths. While there are no allies per se, none of them wish to be blamed for interrupting the important work done by those in the Legion. Divisions Council of Ministers These are eleven high-ranking Legion members who answer directly to the Ashen Lady and oversee the daily workings of the Iron Legion. Positions include: *''The Minister of Economics'' who oversees the finances of the Iron Legion. *''The Minister of Defense'' who supervises the Spectre research and the Spectre Brigade. *''The Minister of Construction'' who coordinates the construction projects around Stygia. *''The Minister of Research and Development'' who runs the MPPU and assigns appropriate staff to research projects in other fields. *''The Minister of Recruiting'' who oversees the Legion Reapers and has final say on who joins the Legion. *''The Minister of Training'' who helps acclimate new Legion members to their duties. *''The Minister of Planning'' who allocates resources to each Necropolis under assistance from the Iron Legion. *''The Minister of Military General'' who runs the Legion's fighting battalions. *''The Minister of Legion Relations'' who works as a diplomat with the other Legions. *''The Minister of Intelligence'' who gathers information given to them by the Legion spies. *''The Minister of Special Projects'' who develops new programs and oversees the Communiqués and the Salon when they are not under the Ashen Lady's command. The Salon Based on the old practices of Europe of having ladies of importance surround themselves with men of great intellect, the Salon is the informal court of the Ashen Lady. Those outside the Salon have criticized it as a life of ease, or perhaps more of a personal collection for the Ashen Lady to show off. Along with advising the Ashen Lady, they also serve as her entertainment, and live in close quarters to her in the Seat of Shadows. Members of the Salon are marked by a tattoo-like design that surrounds their left eye and extends to their temples, where the Salon symbol itself rests. They also have blackened palms on their left hands. Maelstrom Prediction and Preparation Unit Also called the MPPU for short, these Iron Legion members serve as the meteorologists of the Shadowlands, looking to predict, warn, and protect Stygia and its Necropoli from Maelstroms. While all Legion members have training in recognizing the signs of an impending Maelstrom, this group helps refine the science in order to make their predictions more effective in reducing the casualties and destruction these storms inevitably cause. They also help improve the engineering of new structures and materials that will withstand Maelstrom forces. Communiqués The Ashen Lady recalls her "ancestors" appearing before her and speaking to her; these members of the Iron Legion follow in these spirits' footsteps by appearing before and advising the living, generally in ways that ultimately benefit the Iron Legion. Advocates These are the lawyers of the Shadowlands. Make your own joke here. These lawyers are provided by the Iron Legion for those who need defense in the courts of Stygia. Why the Iron Legion puts so much trouble into creating an attempt at true justice in the corrupt government of the Underworld has been called into question several times. Many think it is a blatant attempt to create supporters among the Freewraiths for the Iron Legion, and perhaps they are not too far from the truth. Other Information Although the Iron Legion has a reputation as being a tough enforcer of the Dictum Mortuum, those Legion members who cross the Shroud without Legion permission have a blind eye is turned towards them if no or little proof of their exploits exists. The Ashen Lady seems to encourage any beneficial assistance towards the Quick, possibly an extension of her own upbringing. Also due to her upbringing, the Ashen Lady has a fondness for Fae, and has attempted to form a rough alliance with them. In contrast, she loathes the Kindred and any offers to place them into contact with the Iron Legion are met with a quick but stern "no". Background Information The symbol of Iron Legion is the collage of alchemical symbols for lead and crucible. Category:Wraith: The Oblivion glossary Category:Underworld Bureaucracy